NightTalk with Gugu Mhlungu

Australia’s cricket captain, Steve Smith has been fined 100% of his match fee and suspended for one test match. Batsman Cameron Bancroft has been fined 75% of his match fee and handed three demerit points. This punishment for their involvement in the cheating incident in the third test against South Africa at Newlands at the weekend.

Speaking to Rob White on The Midday Report, Ntini says trying to tamper with the ball in an attempt to beat another team is out of order.

If you remember when the late Hansie Cronje when we were playing in Sharjah against India, there was a similar situation where he stood on the ball with his studs and it was a big saga.

— Makhaya Ntini, former South African cricket player

Then you come back to South Africa, Rabada brushing the shoulder of the same person and gets banned for two games. Smith tampers with the ball and gets only one game ban, what is that?

— Makhaya Ntini, former South African cricket player

Rob Caldor an Australian correspondent said he has never known such a morose mood in the country. He says people are talking about the issue and there is a level of embarrassment and shame because the cricket team represents the whole country.

They often talk about the saying that the cricket captain as being the second most important role after the prime minister so the fact that that the captain, our best player of many generations has done this - people are shattered, they can't believe it, why would he do this, why would they do this to the team?

— Rob Caldor, Australian correspondent

He said he believed this was cheating and not a mistake as a mistake is a bad tactic or doing something that makes you lose the game. This was cheating and it is breaking the law', he says.

Listen below to Makhaya Ntini speaking to Ray White on The Midday Report:

Listen below to Rob Caldor speaking to Ray White on the Midday Report: